Kochi: A judicial commission probing the solar panel scam in Kerala on Thursday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against prime accused Saritha S. Nair for continuously failing to appear before it.
The Justice G Sivarajan Commission ordered issue of the NBW while rejecting an application by her seeking exemption her from personal appearance on medical grounds.
Observing that she was taking the panel for a ride despite being served summons several times, the Commission directed the state police chief to ensure the presence of Saritha for the next sitting on June 27.
The counsel for Saritha, who last appeared on June 17, had informed the Commission yesterday that Saritha would be present today for examination but moved an application seeking exemption from appearance till July 4.
The Commission said a medical board should be constituted to study her health if she fails to comply with the arrest warrant procedure citing medical reasons. Saritha in her application said she had been advised to undergo a surgery to remove a cyst developed in one of her hands.
Her counsel had also submitted a copy of the medical certificate before the judicial commission. The solar panel scam pertains to alleged duping of several persons to the tune of crores of rupees by Saritha and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.
Meanwhile, a leading Malayalam news channel today produced a copy of a letter purportedly written by Saritha before a judicial commission probing the scandal.
The channel had aired the contents of the letter in April this year, allegedly written by Saritha while she was in police custody in July, 2013.
The channel produced the letter after the Commission issued a directive to it in this regard.
Saritha had in the letter alleged that the then Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and a host of other leaders had sexually abused her.
Chandy has filed a criminal defamation case against Saritha and four journalists of two news channels, complaining that they hatched a conspiracy to defame him by airing the news item on April 3 and 4, to the effect that he raped her.
(With agency inputs)
